Hi, I was recently accepted into Summer Science Program for biochemistry but also received a summer research internship at Georgia Tech through cold emailing. Which one would look better on a college app? Is SSP prestigious enough where it would outweigh a research internship as a high school junior?
My guess is the latter - or a summer job scooping ice cream.
Congrats on getting an internship though. Is it paid?
Thank you! The internship is not paid. If you don’t mind, could you please elaborate on why the internship would be better?
I’m not sure it matters - honestly.
Is the other program one you pay for?
I don’t think any of this is expected - but if you have something that’s got substance, maybe it can help.
I personally think having a job, earning money, having responsibility that way is better than all.
I think programs are good if you are unsure of an interest and want to validate it or find out it’s not right for you.
Do whatever interests you more. Two wonderful opportunities–one is not inherently the better option.
Doe being part of a summer program interest you? Then SSP may be your preference.
Be sure to understand what what your responsibilities would be at the internship when choosing (ex. will you be cleaning test tubes, doing research, or something in between?).
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Assuming that SSP is affordable for you & your family, then it might be attractive if you want to gain friendships with peers who can share valuable insights & concerns about college plans while learning about a common academic interest.
Both are great options. Personal preference.
I agree with other answers that these both look very good. I also agree that you might want to find out what you would actually be doing with the internship.
The main question is: Which opportunity would you prefer to participate in?
There might be a small advantage of the internship. On the one hand this is something that you managed to find through your own initiative. Also, you will presumably get to interact with people who are doing research at a highly regarded university. However, I do not think that this would outweigh the “what would you prefer to do” issue, particularly since both look very good to me.
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